Separating plant



Sept. 6, 1932.

SEPARATING' PLANT A. L. FORBES, JR., ET'AL Filed March 17, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet `1 #www @ya www (@M A. L. FORBES, JR., ET AL sept. s, 19321 s EPARATING PLANT Filed March 17,1930

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept' 6, 1932 A. L. FORBES, JR., ET AL A' SEPARATING PLANT Fiwle'd March 17 1930 5 Sheetsn-Shee-t 3 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED. STATES PATENT FFICEf? ARTHUR FORBES, JR., AND CLARENCE O. BYRNE, 'OF PASO, TEXAS i I SEPARATIN G PLANT Application led March 17, 1930. Serial No. 436,464. i

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a separating plant.

One object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which has been specially provided for the purpose of separating hydrogen sulphide from natural gas and the invention comprehends also `a particular type of scrubbing tower employed. Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which may be used generally for separating gases from liquids and vice versa, and more particularly for separating hydrogen sulphide from natural gas, as hereinabove stated or for separating gasoline from natural gas and other similar purposes.

s With the above and other objects in view theinvention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which* is Agiven in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 shows a plan Aview of the apparatus. A

Figure 2 shows aside view thereof, partly in section, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the separating tower showing the liquid level controller, associated therewith, partly in section.

Figure 4 shows a verticalsectional view of the upper end of the scrubbing tower.

Figure 5 shows a vertical ,sectional view of the lower end thereof, 4and g Figure 6 shows a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the scrubbing tower. v g

Two units are shown, having a common inlet line, and a common delivery line for the treated gas, said units being so connected thatthey may be operatedsimultaneously or independently as hereinafter explained.` Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts ineach of the figures, the numerals 1 and 2 designate similar scrubbing towers and the numerals 3, 4 designate similar separating towers associated with the respective scrubbing towers. s

Water containing a treating element such as soda.. ashjis` supplied,` .under pressure, through a common supply line 5 and branch lines 6, 7 into the lower end of the scrubbing towers l, 2. These branch lines 6, 7 may be controlled through the gate valves 8, 9.v The gas to be treatedis received under high pressure through a common supply lineA lObyv the .manifolds 11, V12 and is deliveredinto vthe fluid in the branch lines 6, 7 through the chokers 13, 14 leading from said manifolds. The supply of gas to the respective manifolds ,11, 12 may be controlled by the gate valves 15, 16 respectively. y s i he pressure of the gas is reduced bythe chokers as it enters ythe branch lines 6, and the temperature. thereof is correspondingly lowered.l Y The gas is mingled. with the' water containingsoda ash solution and the mixture passesup through the scrubbing towers and the-nce linesV 17 18 which'enter thecorresnonding separating Vtowers 3, 4 and whose discharge ends are downwardly turned. The lowering of the temperature ofthe gas above referred to aids materially inthe absorptionof the hydrogen sulphide by the'liquid solution. As thegas and liquid solution pass upwardly through the scrubbing tower they willbe thoroughly mixed, and mingled, andthe par-V ticles of the Ahydrogen sulphide will be brought into intimate v.contact with the absorbent, by reason ofthe novel construction of such kscrubbing tower, which. will .now `be described. l l Y f Within each scrubbing tower'thereare the nests of vertically disposed tubes as 19, to 23 respectively. Thelower ends of. the tubes fo'f out through thev respective discharge F ssl" the nest, 19 areanchoredfto andf extend through -a ktransverse baille 24which-is ans chored in andformsa partition' across the scrubbing tower above the corresponding inlet line of said tower. The adjacent'ends'A of the tubes o f the respective nests overlap and are arranged in staggered relation and termi# nate in the'respective mixing chambers 25, 26 andv 27. These chambers are isolated from each other by means of the transverse baffle plates or partitions 28, 28,v 29,29, 30, 30. respectively. As the gas andliquid solution passes upwardly through the scrubbing tower, and through the series of nests of tubes therein, into and through the respective expansion chambers 25, 26, 27, the gas to be treated and the hydrogen "sulphide therein is eii'ectively mingled with the treating solution and brought into intimate contact therewith and this V resultisfiuither e'ected bythe .bubble caps 31 on the upper endsof the tubes of the .upper nest through which the mixture passes Qnfits fwa'yito the correspondiiigV sepa-V rating tower.

TheV liquid and separating towers, the liquid falling tothe bottom and the gas risingto the top. Leadingfitom theztofp of the,separating..towei's are the ,outlet linesSQ, 33, whichfunite in acominon 'delivery'l li'ne 314 throi'i-gh which-the puriiedgas maybefdelivered tothe point ofcousurnption-` llheldeliveryline ,32 is controlled 'by rthe; gate valves 35., 536 and connected into lsaid line 'between sa'i'd last mentioned 'valves 'there lis a 'branch Eline 37 which is ,contrlled by the valve'SS. 'iVhen 'it' is desired to Adeliver 'the treated gas directly from the separating :t-ower. into thedelivery linel .the valvef38 1shiouldlbe'closed andthe valves 35, 36 opened.

' In some caseshowever it maybe desirable .to

retreat .the gas from the separating tower 3 -and in such case, valves.35,36 areopenedland the valves 36 and :'16- c'losed and y,the gas from the separating tower t3' will thusibe delivered into theibottom of the scrubbing tower-2 and through said scrubbing "tower as lhereinabove nected'into 'the separatingtowers 3, 4 above the'liquid 'leveltherein and whose lower ends are connected into the lowerends ofsaidseparatingetowers.' Y

' In separating gasoline from natural gas, the-,gas -'itselfmay ibe admitted into fthe' scrubbingtnwers as 'hereinabove .explained but in ycarryingout this .proeess'firiineralfseal oil may besubstituted forthe liquid soiutionf supplied through .the pipe 5. fand the fmixtufre passed through the scrubbingftowers ITas above. ex'- plained.. The gasolinewill.thusbeabstracted from `the gas, Y and the Agas-.and liquid separated, in tneseparati-ng tower. The gas may then 4be delivered froml `the :separating tower Y as hereinabove explainedand the .gas-oline distilled .out vof :th-fe- .;oi'l .by ,a subsequent distilling process. y

gas are separated in the Only two units have been shownand described, but a single unit or any number of units may be employed oi the separating plantr` depending upon the circumstances of the case.

We have shown what we now consider to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only but it is obvious that Vniechanical changes and Vadaptations may be made within the broad principle of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

we claim is:

1. In treating apparatus a scrubbing tower having inlet and an outlet to permit the passage of a fluid therethrough, successive nests Yoi tubes forming passageways for the fluid .from said inlet toV the outlet, mixing chambers, between adjacent nests 'into which the tubes ofvr such nests areV connected, and bubble caps on thedislcharge ends o'fthe'tubes of the ultimate nest of tubes. V

2. Apparatus -ofl'the character described including a scrubbing Itower and an associated separating tower, a liquid inlet'line entering 'the scrubbing tower, a .gasV supply line terminating in chokers ornozz'les, in said inlet line, and through which fthe gas maylbe mixedl'withthe liquid, a discharge line leading from said scrubbing towerinto the'separating tow-er, meansr in the scrubbing tower for 'intimately ,intermingling the mixture passing `through' the scrubbingtower from said inlet to said discharge. f Y.

Apparatus o i' 'tlie character Vdescribed including a scrubbin'gtower land an associated separating'tower, a liquid inlet V.line entering the scrubbing'tower', a jgas supply line `terminating in'chokers or nozzles, in said inlet line, and through which, the lgas may be mixed with the liquid, va discharge line leading from said yscrubbing"tower into the separating tow-en, lmeans in the scrubbing tower for ;intimately intermingling the, mixture passing throughA .the scrubbingtower vfronisaid inlet to saiddi'scharge, and' means for relieving the liquid and gas separately from ,said separating tower'. Y Y

1 4. Apparatus .of the character Vdescribed including ascrubbingtower yand ran 'associatedseparating tower, means'for introducins scrubbing tower` an outlet conduit, leading from thescrubbing tower and tern'iinating. in the separating tower, successive'nests of tubes in' the scrubbing tower 4whoseadj acent ends, overlap, inclosed chambers inclosing said overlappingeiids, said tubes 'and chambers forming means inthe scrubbing `tower through which the mixture passes inthe same direction for inti'niately` interminglingjth gas and liquid, under'pressure, into, :the

mixture` assinO therethrou h vmeans'in the scrubbingtower for intimately interming'ling the mixture passi-ngftherethrough. ,15, Apparatus of'. he character .described including a. scrubbing tower andan tassociatedseparating tower, 'means for introducieu ing gas and liquid, under pressure, into the scrubbing tower, an outlet conduit leading from the scrubbing tower and terminating in the separating tower, means in the scrubbing tower for intimately intermingling the mixture passing therethrough, said last mentioned means including spaced enclosed` chambers in said scrubbing tower and Iestricted passageways connecting said chambers.

6. Apparatus of the character described including a scrubbing tower and an associated separating tower, means for introducing a mixture of gas and liquid, under pressure, into the scrubbing tower, an outlet conduit leading from th-e scrubbing tower and terminating in the separating tower, means in the scrubbing tower comprising series of tubes, the ends of the tubes of one series being staggered with respect to those of adjacent series and closed chambers enclosing said adjacent ends, said tubes and chambers conining the mixture to a'one 'way movement and forming mea-ns for intimately intermingling the mixture passing therethrough, from the inlet thereof to said separating tower and means for relieving the liquid and gas separately from the separating tower.

7. Apparatus of the character described including a scrubbing tower, means for introducing a fluid to be treated anda treating agent under pressure into the scrubbing tower, means in the scrubbing tower for intimately intermingling the mixture passing therethrough, said last mentioned means comprising spaced inclosed chambers in the scrubbing tower and successively arranged nests of tubes forming restricted passageways connecting said chambers, the ends of the tubes of a nest connected into one chamber being staggered with the respect to the ends of the tubesof another nest' connected into said chamber.

8. In a treating plant, a tower, an enclosed chamber therein, a nest of tubes in the tower on one side of the chamber having ends which project into said chamber, a nest of tubes on the other side of the chamber having ends which project into said chamber, said projecting ends of one nest being staggered with respect to those of the other nest,the inwardly projecting ends of a nest of tubes terminating close to the opposing wall of the chamber, means for introducing, under pressure, a fluid to be treated and a treating agent into the tower on one side of said chamber, whereby said fluid and agent may be forced together through one nest of tubes into said chamber and delivered thence through the other nest of tubes from said chamber.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

ARTHUR L. FORBES, JR. CLARENCE O. BYRNE. 

